This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, more particularly to combustors used with gas turbine engines.
Known turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air which is suitably mixed with a fuel and channeled to a combustor wherein the mixture is ignited within a combustion chamber for generating hot combustion gases. More specifically, at least some known combustors include a dome assembly that channels airflow downstream and circumferentially around each fuel injector. More specifically, at least some known dome assemblies include a swirler assembly that extends upstream from a domeplate, and a baffle that extends downstream from the domeplate and into the combustion chamber.
Within recuperated gas turbine engines, combustor inlet temperatures may be elevated in comparison to other non-recuperated gas turbine engines, and as such, at least some dome assembly components within such engines, may be exposed to higher temperatures than other known gas turbine engine dome assemblies. As such, to facilitate withstanding exposure to the high temperatures generated within the combustion chamber, at least some known baffles are fabricated from a super alloy, such as, but not limited to Rene N5®. Although such materials are resistant to the high temperatures, such materials may be limited in their means of being coupled to the domeplate. Accordingly, known combustors including components fabricated from such super alloys are typically coupled together with an extensive brazing process. Although the brazing process is generally reliable, such processes may also be time-consuming and expensive.